People keep asking me whether popunders, popups, and push ads count as marketing automation. The short answer is not so easy. Basically yes, but with clear constraints and a different role than classic email or in-app automation.
These formats can absolutely participate in marketing automation, but they function as event-driven traffic activation and re-engagement layers, not as deterministic, user-level automation in the CRM sense. Let me break down exactly how each format works and where they fit in an automation stack.
Popunders & Popups: Session-Based Automation
Here’s the fundamental difference with pop traffic: it’s session-based, not identity-based. That means my automation is rule-driven, not user-journey-driven.
How I Trigger Them
I’ve got several automation hooks I rely on:
- Page view or category trigger
- Exit intent
- Frequency cap reached
- Time-on-site threshold
- Geo, device, or OS logic
- Previous click or visit (via cookies or sub-IDs)
Real Automation Flows I Run
When someone visits my betting content, a popunder launches them straight to a sportsbook landing page. If they’re about to exit my pricing page, a popup fires with a limited-time offer. Returning visitors within 24 hours get a different creative or land on a different funnel step.
It’s reactive, but it’s automated.
The Hard Limitations
I can’t build a persistent user profile unless I’m matching data server-side, which most affiliate setups don’t support. There’s no deterministic sequencing, so no clean “Step 1 → Step 2 → Step 3” flow. Pop traffic works best for top and mid-funnel activation.
Where Pop Traffic Actually Shines
I use popunders and popups heavily for:
- CPA/CPL funnels
- GEO-based testing
- Offer rotation at scale
- Traffic monetization and arbitrage
It’s volume play with smart triggers. Not precision, but effective.
Push Ads: The Closest Thing to Real Automation
Push notifications are different. They’re the only paid format I use that actually behaves like proper marketing automation.
Why Push Works
Push notifications are:
- Opt-in
- Device-linked
- Time-addressable
- Event-triggerable
That combination makes them incredibly powerful.
What I Can Automate with Push
My push campaigns run on the same logic as email drips:
- Scheduled sequences (Day 0, Day 1, Day 3)
- Behavior-based triggers (click, no-click, unsubscribe)
- Geo and time-zone delivery
- Offer-based segmentation
- Frequency and recency logic
Actual Push Flows I’m Running
Someone subscribes and gets an instant welcome push. No conversion in 48 hours? They get a reminder push. Previous bettor? I send them odds updates. VPN user? I hit them with a security alert-style push that feels native.
This closely mirrors email or SMS drip logic, just executed via browsers and mobile devices. It’s lifecycle messaging, plain and simple.
How Ad Networks Automate Campaigns
From the ad networks like Reacheffect and others, automation happens at the campaign level, not the user level.
Internal “Automation” is Campaign-Level
Networks automate:
- Rule-based bid changes
- Auto-pausing by KPI thresholds
- Dynamic offer rotation
- GEO/device segmentation
- Smart frequency caps
This is supply-side automation, not CRM automation. It’s about optimizing delivery and economics, not orchestrating individual user journeys.
My Typical Stack
I run a tracker like Voluum, Binom, or RedTrack with server-to-server postbacks. I set automated rules based on ROI, conversion rate, and earnings per click. I rotate creatives and landing pages dynamically based on performance data.
It’s efficient and it scales. But it’s not the same as knowing exactly where each user is in a funnel and what message they need next.
The Real Breakdown
Marketing Automation Formats
A practical comparison
Let me make this crystal clear with a simple comparison:
Popunders: Event-triggered exposure. Strength is scale and reach.
Popups: Intent-based interruption. Strength is conversion lift.
Push ads: Lifecycle messaging. Strength is retention and re-engagement.
The Key Distinction
CRM automation is user-centric and deterministic. I know who you are, where you’ve been, and what you’re likely to do next.
Ad-format automation is event-centric and probabilistic. I know something happened, and I’m making an educated guess about what to show you.
They complement each other, but they’re not interchangeable.
Bottom Line
Yes, popunders, popups, and push ads can absolutely be part of marketing automation. But here’s what you need to understand:
- Popups and popunders automate traffic activation
- Push ads automate user re-engagement
- None of them replace CRM-level journey orchestration
- All are extremely effective in performance-driven funnels when used correctly
How I Use Them Together
In my performance funnels, I layer these ad formats strategically. Pop traffic drives volume at the top. Push ads handle re-engagement and retention in the middle and bottom. And when I have user data, I combine all of this with email and SMS.
The key is knowing what each format can and can’t do. Popunders and popups won’t build relationships. Push ads won’t scale like pop traffic. But when you use all three correctly in performance campaigns like affiliate, SaaS, iGaming, lead gen, you get a traffic engine that’s hard to beat.
Just don’t expect them to act like a CRM. They’re traffic tools with automation capabilities, not relationship platforms. And in the right context, that’s exactly what you need.
